Author's Note:
Still don't own Final Fantasy, but I'm still trying!
Chapter Six
Truth
The elevator ride down to the Underwater Reactor was a long one. Reeve shifted his tie, playing with it, always adjusting it. It was as if the small piece of fabric had become a mighty weight, threatening to bring him down. Responsibility. Hard work. Respect. These were words that were supposed to mean something. And to Reeve... they had meant something. Now, he wasn't quite so sure.
The humming of the elevator did nothing to settle his stomach. He was already feeling queasy, absolutely sick after the meeting with Rufus. He hadn't known exactly what to expect, but he had known, somewhere deep down, that he was about to be betrayed...
Running a hand through his hair, Reeve inhaled deeply before grasping onto the door latch and clicking it open. He walked in quickly, quietly, but respectfully. President Rufus was a hard man, given to expectations of the very best on all levels -- performance, efficiency, and etiquette. Failure to meet to his standards frequently led to a failing career -- or health.
Rufus sat at his desk, his face stern, eyes cold, gaze penetrating. But something wasn't right. The normal fire that was in him seemed faded, replaced by... uncertainty? Apprehension?
Something wasn't right. All was not well with Rufus Shinra, and that made Reeve nervous.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked.
"Yes, Reeve. Close the door behind you."
Doing as he was told, he shut the door behind him. Well, if he was asking him to close the door, odds were, security wouldn't be called in the next minute. Not that he had anything to worry about when it came to that, but sometimes, Rufus could be unpredictable.
"Take a seat," the President said, gesturing to one of the two chairs in front of his desk. No more chairs were ever brought in for guests. When people came to his office, only the two most important visitors were ever allowed to sit, if even them. And those two were rarely chosen because of rank or priviledge, but by Rufus' personal opinion.
Pulling up a chair, Reeve sat down directly across from Rufus, making sure to keep eye contact the entire time. One did not walk into a predator's lair without making a challenge, even if one was invited. To look away would be a sign of weakness, and Rufus struck down the weak, and Reeve had no wish to be struck down.
A small smile abruptly played on Rufus' lips, as if he were aware of a joke that only he knew. But there was something about it... Reeve shivered inwardly.
"I've lied to you."
The words themselves did not shock Reeve. He had expected and even anticipated Rufus lying to him about many things. Rather, the admission to lying was what caught him off guard. What reason could Rufus possibly have about telling him that he had lied to him?
Or... what does he want from me? the question came to Reeve's mind, and the more he thought it over, the more sense it made. Something that Reeve would normally reject out of hand, defy Rufus over. But what could it be?
"Lied? About what?" he asked.
"Your past. Your life. Everything since you awoke from your coma."
It hit Reeve like a solid punch to the stomach and a slap in the face at once. It was both a blow to the gut, a feeling of utter shock, and a direct challenge, an insult, something that could not be left unanswered. His hands gripped the arms of his chair solidly, and Reeve nearly feared they would break.
Let them break, he thought. It'll show this puffed up meglomaniac how angry I am.
Rufus related the details as he knew them to Reeve, the tale of Cait Sith and his exploits with Avalanche. Rufus dwelled on acts of heroic bravery on Reeve's and Cait Sith's part, like braving the Temple of the Ancients and sacrificing his stuffed body to gain the Black Materia for Avalanche, while skimming over his betrayal of the rebel group and kidnaping Barret's adopted daughter Marlene and giving up the Keystone to the Tseng and the Turks. With each word, Reeve's rage grew.
"Why?" he asked when Rufus was finished.
"I lied to you because I had to ensure your loyalty. I had to make sure you completely trusted in me and my goal."
"No... that's not what I'm asking. Why did you tell me the truth?"
Rufus' cold expression slipped, replaced by that uncertain cast. "I... I don't know. You had a right to know, but... suffice it to say, you know now, and that's all that matters."
"Bullshit." The word erupted from his lips before he could stop it. Even as angry as he was, there were some things you did not say to the President of Shinra.
The arrogant facade returned instantly, and Rufus stood up. "You know the truth now. Whether or not you believe me is another matter. A brighter future is coming, Reeve, and I will need your help to achieve it. Unlike all others, you've proven trustworthy. You saved my life where all others would have left me for dead, squandering for power while my corpse would still be warm. But trust works both ways, I've heard. So, Reeve... do you trust me? Do I have your loyalty?"
Standing up, Reeve clenched his jaw and fists. He wasn't sure what to say. "You have my loyalty, Mister President. You will always have that. But my trust is another matter."
Rufus looked as if he were about to say something else, then stopped. He nodded, then said, "You're dismissed. Take some time to think things over."
Reeve wanted to hit something. He very nearly did strike the elevator door as it came to a halt. Waiting it for open, Reeve stormed out. One guard attempted to stop him for an identification check, but one stare and a growl sent the soldier back to attention, with a quick, "Apologies, Mr. Reeve."
Making his way down the hallway that led to the storage area, Reeve finally realized what he was doing, where he was going. He stopped in front of a door marked 'STORAGE 007' in bright yellow letters, and frowned. Why was he here? What form of madness had he brought upon himself that he had come back here? He'd been avoiding it long enough. Why now?
Because this was the door that had brought about the whole sorry mess in the first place, that's why.
His hand hesitantly came up to the control panel, shaking the entire way up. This was insane. This had nearly killed him before. Rufus would no doubt want to exploit it. That was his way. But something... something in what he had said made him wonder.
"A brighter future is coming, Reeve, and I will need your help to achieve it."
The words, spoken with such conviction, such certainty in the midst of so much uncertainty... As if those words alone were all that mattered, all that were the real truth behind Rufus Shinra.
"A brighter future is coming."
Making a small cry of frustration, Reeve hit the control panel, slapping his palm against the recognition scanner. A bright blue light flickered on, sending a pulse through his hand as it scanned his finger prints, ensuring that he was authorized to open the door.
The id pad flickered green, and a soft ding sounded. The doors opened wide, and Reeve stepped in. As he did, lights all around the room came on, and machines came to life. Computer screens came on, showing the status of the machines they tended.
And all around the room, lined against both walls like perfect soldiers were Cait Sith units.
"Hey, guys... I'm back."
Author's Note:
Sorry this was late. I had it finished around 5 pm, but when I went to upload I found that my internet was down! On the upside, this will be posted as well as chapter seven directly afterwards. Oh, and I apologize for the heavy use of italics in this post.